Federal judge again halts Trump’s executive order limiting mail voting in midterms

On Thursday, a US federal judge put a temporary stop to the US Postal Service's (USPS) implementation of new rules aimed at tightening mail-in voting requirements, as directed by President Donald Trump ahead of the November congressional elections. US District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued the restraining order at the request of Democratic-led states and voting rights groups following a ruling by the US Supreme Court on Monday that lifted earlier injunctions blocking Trump's plans.

The judge's order will remain in effect while she decides whether to issue a longer-term preliminary injunction blocking the rule. The USPS adopted the rule on Wednesday, and it will now be halted while the judge determines if a broader injunction is necessary. The judge, appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, will consider the matter during a hearing on September 3.

Under the rule, states would have to provide the USPS with lists of mail ballot recipients, and all outbound and return ballot envelopes would need unique bar codes. The USPS could then deny delivery of ballots that didn't meet the new standards or were linked to voters not on the lists. The rule was designed to carry out an executive order Trump signed in March, following years of him advocating for stricter mail-in voting regulations and attributing his 2020 election loss to widespread voter fraud.

All 50 states permit some form of mail-in voting, with 29 states allowing any voter to request such ballots and eight states conducting their elections entirely by mail. The USPS processed nearly 100 million ballots during the 2024 election, and about 30 percent of voters nationwide used mail-in ballots. The plaintiffs argue that the USPS lacks authority to enforce the rule, as it usurped the constitutional authority of states and Congress to regulate elections.

They also contend that the rule infringes upon the USPS' role as a neutral mail carrier and violates federal laws safeguarding voters' rights.